Mechanical ignition



April 1, 1924. I 1,489,006

4 A. L. POWELL MECHANICAL IGNITION Filed Feb. 2, 1921 Patented Apr. 1, 1924.

[UNITED STATES PATENT cries.

ALVA}! L. POWELL, or MILES CITY, M NTANA, AssIeNon. r0 THE A. L. POWELL rowan co., INC., or MILES CITY, MONTANA, n BODY ooarone'rn. Y

MECHANICAL IeNIrIoN.

Application filed February 2, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, ALVAH L. POWELL, citizen of the United States, residing at Miles City, in the county of Custer and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Ignition, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mechanical igniters in which I secure a temperature high enough to effect combustion in an inflammable gas, vapor, or fluid,

by direct compression of air. In the accompanying drawings I show a form of my improvement, and also its application to ordinary internal combustion engines.

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of one of my mechanical igniters.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a method of attaching and operating one of my igniters to an ordinary internal combustion engine.

Fig. 4 shows another method of using the igniter on an engine.

Figure 5 is a detail view.

In Fig. 1, a casing, A, preferably shaped as shown, is threaded to a valve fitted member, A The stem of A is bored and a piston, A, is slidably fitted therein. This piston has packingrings, A, A, to assure tightness. Through the upper part of A a hole, 13, runs to the valve space over A The latter is a check valve, preferably held on its seat by a spring, A. Holes by which exhaust from A may take place are shown at A. A removable plug, B, gives access to valve A On a plane with the hole 13, but on opposite side of bored piston chamber, a check valve A fits to a seat, as shown. Through the opening A air may be indrawn as now to be described.

Let the stem of piston A be drawn outward, that is, in direction of arrow B Valve A will lift, admitting a charge of air through A and filling the space above piston A". On forcing the piston back until shoulder A coincides with stem of A at B", the pressure of the contained air will be augmented and its temperature raised. The degree of this will be governed by the compression. It is here assumed that the diameter of piston A is sufliciently small to allow a high compression with a minimum Serial No. 441,977.

amount of power, in order to get the desired heat at one stroke.

On stem of valve A is fitted a spring, A", that holds it on its seat. This valve is relatively small in diameter, so that comparatively little force is needed to lift it and permit the exhaust of the hot air. The heated air, in contact with gas, oil or vapor, will cause ignition.

In Fig. 3 the piston of the igniter is cam operated, from any shaft on an engine, and gas may be indrawn through pipe C instead of air, this igniting spontaneously from compression and entering engine combus tion chamber when tappet on valve A is struck at O by engine piston.

In Fig. 4 a further method of applying the igniter to an engine is shown. In this, the igniter is placedon side of engine and is operated by a curved bar, from piston. This would operate on either a two or a four cycle engine, for in the latter case the fact that igniter fired on every instroke would not effect its operation, the power consumed being small and the waste charges not afiecting the order of functioning of power piston strokes.

What I claim is new and ask to have protected by Letters Patent is 1. In a mechanical igniter, a casing having a bored passage, a piston slidable in said bored passage, an inlet valve, an outlet valve set at right angles to said bored passage and communicating therewith, removable means for inserting said valve, a spring on the outlet valve for holding it to its seat, means for operating said piston, and means for lifting said outlet valve by the impact of the top of an engine piston, substantially as described.

2. In a mechanical igniter, a casing having a bored passage and with a threaded section for insertion in the wall of an engine cylinder, a piston slidable in said bored passage, an inlet valve, an outlet valve set at right angles to said bored passage and communicating therewith, removable means for inserting said valve, a spring on the outlet valve for holdlng it to 1ts seat, means for operating said piston, and means for lifting said outlet valve by the impact of the top of an engine piston, substantially as described.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a

'to its seat, means for operating said piston, V

and means for lifting said outlet valve by the impact of the top of the piston of said 10 internal combustion engine, substantially as described. 7

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALVAH POWELL. 

